Peur – We Can Build Astronauts

Peur are a rock trio from Manchester. Their approximately nineteen minute EP ‘We Can Build Astronauts’ commences in a fairly typical modern alternative rock sound, consisting of clean vocals and minimalist melodies. Yet when the rhythm section knocks down the doors with driving rhythms, you can clearly tell they are something different. The highlights within the EP are the lilting and dynamic bass lines that give a real foundation to the vocals and pair excellently with the tight drum patterns. The unlikely star of the EP is ‘Empires’ which starts to flirt with off-kilter guitar distortions and even sampling, giving further depth to their intriguing instrumental passages. With their latest single ‘Explosions’ (New single, November 3rd), their sound has clearly taken a turn towards focusing on their strongest suite, technical punctuation. The vocal work slices effectively through the layers of distortion, thanks to the well rounded, hard rock production. Also note, that in ‘Explosions’ when the vocals hit the high notes against the increasingly more experimental post-rock inspired melodies… they hit hard. Absolute key moments of note in this single in particular are the dragging dirge-like sections, wherein the heart of the band reveals itself in wonderfully obsessive jarring riffs. The sound breaks free of the normal rock conventions throwing the band into a perpetually collapsing atmosphere… which of course you’d wish would stretch on for another five minutes or so. Their next scheduled EP for this loud up and coming band ‘Future Architects’, will be released on Dec 1st.